Silver Strands
by Lookiehere
Summary: They were burdens, they would only get them all killed. Anderle left her home to get on a quest she knew nothing about and she did not see anything bright ahead. What was to happen as Thorin and the company make their way to the Misty Mountains? Thorin OC Rating may change in the future


**So, I'm trying my hand at some Hobbit fanfiction. It's supposed to be a short story. Thorin/OC. Lay down your opinion, it is very appreciated.**

**It starts right before the Troll events. Any questions, pm me or drop a review. As for the other stories, I'll be updating Angel's Redemption as soon as I'm able ( for those who want, go and take a peek).**

**Cheers **

It is a well-known fact that a woman surrounded by men, or in this very particular case male dwarves, is somewhat bound to be looked upon and defined as the weak one. Anderle had no objection to the last part, not in the least. She had no spectacular skills. She knew how to cook and, she would rather die than to admit this, not that well.

So how did she find herself in the midst of an epic adventure along with 13 dwarves, 1 hobbit and a slightly insane wizard? One will never know. One moment she was serving a plate of mildly warm soup to a weary dwarf and next thing she knew she was being recruited to the quest along with Bilbo Baggins, her boss, and picked up from the floor at the mention of bone melting, fire snorting dragons.

"Will you not eat? Is our food not good enough for you?"

Keeping her eyes closed, she rolled in her makeshift sleeping bag to face the owner of the voice. Suppressing a sight, Anderle wrapped herself even more in the thin material and finally decided to acknowledge the question.

"I'm tired and thinking about home." Her answer was met with a mocking snort and a frown that she was already accustomed to.

"You should've just stayed there. Both of you, Halflings. You have no place amongst us. Burdens you are."

She breathed in deeply and her nostrils were immediately filled with the scent of humid soil and leaves. She was expecting that. It was really not the first time both her and Bilbo had been shunned by Thorin. That didn't mean it hurt less. Tears prickled her eyes but she refused to let them flow.

"Yes. You're right." She hated how her voice wavered but what was done was done. Shifting again, she turned on her back before he could answer her admission and feigned sleep. Not for long.

"We cannot leave the lass alone here." Bofur's voice had a twinge of pity in them and Anderle sat up slowly from her spot next to the fire and rubbed her eyes with a small yawn.

"What's going on?"

A hand clasped her shoulder and she looked up to see the surprisingly serious face of Fili.

"Fili?" clasping his hand, she almost begged him for an answer. He helped her stand and she noticed how his eyes darted to the stern blue ones of his uncle.

"Trolls. They took the horses. Bilbo is there."

"You are certainly not leaving me here." Her voice had a hinge of worry and also determination in it. She may not be a warrior but she was not someone to stay behind while everyone was somewhere fighting for their lives.

All dwarves looked conflicted. They did not like to see a woman, any woman in danger and they were slowly starting to warm up to the female Halfling.

"I promise I won't stand in anyone's way. "

Anderle did her best to smile and try to persuade them. It was not her best idea, with the trolls and all, but she was part of the company, whether Thorin liked it or not, and she would not stay idle while some trolls endangered poor Bilbo.

The frown that was ever present in Thorin's face eased up in a fraction of second and he nodded sternly in her way. They finally went in search of Bilbo and the trolls, Anderle staying in the back of the party, shoulder to shoulder with Fili and Kili, her loyal and fierce protectors since the start of the journey.

If the smell was proof of the proximity to the trolls, she could tell they were really on the right track. Looking at the floor, she didn't notice when the dwarf in front of her stopped in his tracks and she crashed noisily against him. The strong grip on her arm made her look up and into _his_ raging blue eyes while something cold was placed in her right hand.

"A dagger?" she murmured, staring at the simple dagger that he had given her.

"Use it. If something happens to us, flee. Promise me." The force of his grip intensified and she was surprised when she noticed the concern laced in his deep, low voice.

His eyes searched her face for any response. She smiled. She just smiled.

"I will not leave you. We go together, we leave together."

Still holding her arm, he squeezed it tightly, growling at the woman's foolishness.

"Promise me woman."

She couldn't.

"Thorin…"

"Uncle!"

Fili's voice called urgently and everyone sprang into action. The sound of steel hitting flesh was slightly nauseating but Anderle focused in the recently thought mission of helping Bilbo free the ponies. She was not expecting, however, to be hurled into the air by a pair of large, filthy hands.

"Never thought I'd meet my demise in the hands of trolls." She whispered sourly to Bilbo who was in the same situation as her.

"Lay down your arms! Or we'll rip theirs off!" the throaty voice of the troll echoed in the woods as all he dwarves had an inner conflict. Thorin was the first to lay down his sword, being followed by all the others.

The next minutes consisted in getting in the bags and waiting miserably for being roasted alive. Not what Anderle thought was the best way to die, but currently as she watched Bilbo struggle to delay the inevitable, she couldn't help but to give Kili a kick in the shins. The young dwarf was a bit dense.

"Kili." She hissed, kicking him again when he still refused to say he had parasites and go on with Bilbo's story.

She heard Thorin mumble something next to her and felt the mighty shove that was directed to his nephew but managed to hit her too as a rush of air left her lungs at the motion. Good Heavens. Was he made of pure rock?

"Mine are the biggest parasites. I've got huge parasites!" Kili finally caught up and managed to wheeze out. If they weren't currently in the danger of being scorched and eaten, she would've rolled her eyes.

Everyone seemingly began a contest of who had the bigger parasites when Anderle felt a slight nudge. Thorin was struggling again to free himself from his bonds.

"Stubborn dwarf." The murmur turned into a scream when a large hand again took hold on her middle to hoist her up in the air. The dwarves all began to roar angrily, demanding William the troll to free me. No avail. A putrid stench filled her nostrils when his deformed nose took a whiff of her scent, purring slightly with satisfaction.

"'Tis one's good. Smells like them apples." He bellowed.

Cringing yet again, Anderle remembered the words of Thorin and the dagger he had placed what seemed like hours ago in her hand. Praying to whatever gods were listening to her, she twisted around until she could grasp it in her hand and stabbed it in the hand holding her, burying it to the hilt. A hoarse grunt escaped the creatures' mouth and she felt herself fall and hit the forest ground with a sickening thud.

Everything around her seemed to happen so very slowly, she could see the emotions flicker across Thorin's face. Anger, confusion, Relief?

Relief.

Only then did Anderle notice the rays of the sun soaking her up in its warmth as the pain in her battered head slowly vanished. Rough hands gripped her and lifted her up and about. Gandalf appeared in her line of vision as she slowly recovered her senses.

"Miss Anderle, that was quite a fall."

She smiled but, before she could answer, a flurry of movement had her against someone. Who snarled.

"What have I told you? why did you not flee?"

Try as she might she could not answer the question. Why had she stayed?

Because she cared.

She cared.

The sudden emotions seemed to overwhelm her small body and the tears started to flow, leaving trails in the dirt that covered her face. She slumped against him and Thorin cursed himself for always letting his temper wander without restraint.

His gaze seemed to soften and his touch lost the aggressiveness of before. He simply held her there, looking at the brown curls that had escaped its bounds and gently framed her face.

What was he doing?


End file.
